Car-coupling



(No Model.)

s. MOORMAN.

GAR GOUPLIN G-. No. 331,317. Patented Dec. 1. 1885.

Fi i.

mmumumm v .Moor

Zia .dttorneys N, m'ens, PhmL-m n m Washiniion, o. c

NllED Snares I PATENT @rrrcn SILAS MOORMAN, OF LAFAYETTE, ALABAMA.

CAR COUPLlNG.

QPEC'IFECATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 331,317, dated December 1, 1885.

Application filed August 28, 1985. Serial No. 175,573. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SILAS llIOORMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lafayette, in the county of Chambers and State of Ala bama, have invented a new and useful Im' provement in Car Couplings, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention has relation to improvements in car-couplings; and the novelty consists in the peculiar construction, combination, arrangement, and adaptation of parts, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

My invention has especially for its object to provide a carcoupling which shall operate automatically to couple the cars together, which shall be easy of operation to uncouple the cars from the roof thereof or the platform, which shall retain the link in position in the draw-head without rattling, and which shall combine simplicity, strength, and durability of construction with thorough effectiveness of operation.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of a car and platform having a draw-head and my improved coupling ap plied thereto. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central section through two draw-heads having my improved coupling and coupled together thereby. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the coupling pin-operating mechanism; and Fig. 41s a detail view of the couplinglink.

Like letters of reference in the several fig ures of the drawings denote corresponding parts. I

Referring by letter to the drawings, A designates a portion of the platform having a carbody, A, secured thereon, a section or portion only of which is shown herein.

0 O designate the draw-heads, of the ordinary well-known construction and shape, and having the usual chamber, 0 Each drawhead is provided with my improved pin-operating mechanism D; but I will only describe one of such mechanisms, which are constructed substantially alike, and operate in substantially the same manner.

E designates a coupling-pin working in longitudinal slots E E formed or cut in the upper and lower walls of the draw-head chamber 0 and said pin E is pivoted at its upper end by a pin or shaft, (1, which bears in supporting plates or blocks F, secured upon the upper surface of the top of the draw-head in any suitable or preferable manner, and arranged on each side of thcslot E therein. One end of the shaft d is provided with a pulley or roller, G, preferably grooved, as shown, and provided with a cord, 9, rigidly secured thereto, and running rearwardly over a roller or pulley, G, mounted in a bracket, G secured to one of the supporting blocks or plates F, the free end of said cord being connected to the inner end of a spring, H, arranged within the draw-head chamber, and secured at one end to the lower surface of the upper wall thereof, as at h. The free end of the spring H is arranged within the draw-head chamber to one side of the longitudinal slot therein, and at the rear end thereof, and said free end of the spring carries a corrugated faceplate, H, adapted to bear on the rear ends of the coupling-link I, which are also preferably corrugated on one or both surfaces, as at i, whereby said link is prevented from moving or sliding in the draw-head and occasioning the 'objectionable rattling noise so common to the ordinary coupling-link.

The upper end of the coupling-pin has a cord, rope, or chain connected thereto, as J, and which passes over a roller, J, journaled on a pin, j, mounted in a bracket, J; secured to the draw-head,at the front end thereof, said cord or rope thence passing through a slot, k, in the coupling-pin, and thence to the roof or top of the car-body, as shown in Fig. 1, whereby,when strain or force is exerted on the said cord J, the pin E will turn on its pivot, and the rear end thereof will be elevated to disengage the coupling-link and permit the cars to become uncoupled. The coupling-pin is automatically returned to its normal upright position by means of a spring, L, bearing on one of the shoulders or ledges Z Z of the pivotpin or shaft (2 of the said pin, the said spring L being arranged longitudinally with and alongside of one of the bearing blocks or plates, and

secured at its rear end to the draw-head, as

shown. If desired, another spring, M, may be employed in addition to or substituted for the said spring L, the spring M being arranged within the space or slot of the draw-"head or between the plates or bearing-blocks F. One end of the spring M is secured to the couplingpin, below the pivot thereof, and connected at its opposite end to a pin or shaft, m, bearing 1 WVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure in said supporting blocks or plates F. In the present instance I have shown a flat spring of elastic material-as, for instance, rubber; but it is obvious that a coiled on helical spring .may be substituted therefor.

The upper end of the coupling-pin is provided with guiding-blocks N, on each side thereof, which when the upper end of said pin is thrown forward bear against the inclined or curved front ends of the blocks or plates F and guide the pin, while at the same time it prevents lateral movement or play thereof.

The coupling-link I is made in two sections, I 1 which are previously connected together at their middle, and tapered or widened from the ends toward said middle portion to provide for strength and durability thereof. The link-section I is provided with a bifurcated or cutaway portion to form two arms, i, while the section -I is reduced to provide a tongue, I which is adapted to fit in such bifurcated arms of the section I and be pivotally connected thereto by a transverse bolt or pin, I, passing through apertures therein, and having a nut at the opposite end to its headed portion 2' to retain the parts in position, while permitting them to turn or oscillate to enable the link to accommodate itself to the relative positions assumed by the cars and draw-heads in turning curves. The outer ends of the arms 2" are rounded, as shown, and fit in correspondingly-shaped portions or bearings formed in the link-section I at the point where the tongue I is formed, thus permitting the linksections to turn or move easily,for the purpose described.

The outer end of each link-section is provided with a longitudinal slot, 1 ,111 which the coupling-pin fits, and the side bars thereof are corrugated or roughened, as at t, with which the corrugated plates H of the spring-bar H are adapted to engage or bear thereon, for the pnrpose-hereinbefore explained.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, and need not therefore be more fully explained.

Various changes in the form and proportion of parts and details of construction may be made without departing from the principle or sacrificing the advantages of my invention, the essential features of which have been pointed out.

I am aware that it is not new, broadly, to provide a coupling-link in two sections which are pivotally connected together; but in my improved link a peculiar socketconnection is employed, whereby the sections are normally maintained in a horizontal plane and serve to limit the movement of each other when in use.

I am also aware that it is not new, broadly, to provide a coupling-link having two sections pivotally connected together by tongue-andsocket joint, and hence I disclaim such construction.

by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with the draw-head, of a coupling-pin pivoted therein, a springpressed bar carrying a bearing-plate, a pullcord connecting said pin and bar for simultaneously operating the same, and a link on which said bar is adapted to bear, substantially as described.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination, with a draw-head, a spring-pressed coupling-pin mounted therein, a spring-actuated bar carry ing a corrugated head, a pull-cord connected to said coupling-pin and bar and adapted to simultaneously operate the same, and a corrugated coupling-link on which the spring-bar is adapted to bear, substantially as described.

3. In a car coupling, the combination, with a draw-head, a springactuated bar mounted therein, a link adapted to engage the said bar, a coupling-pin, and a pull-cord adapted to operate said spring-bar, substantially as described.

4.. In a car-coupling, the combination, with a slotted draw-head, a spring-actuated coupling-pin pivoted therein, a pulley mounted on the coupling pin shaft, a springactuated bar arranged within the draw-head and carrying a corrugated contact-plate, a cord connecting said pulley and springbar, a corrugated coupling-link, and a pull-cord connected to said coupling-pin, substantially as described.

5. In a car-coupling, the combination of a slotted draw-head, a coupling-pin mount-ed therein, a pulley, G, mounted on the'pin-shaft, springs M L, connected to the couplingpin and shaft thereof, a spring-bar, H, arranged within the draw-head and having a corrugated plate, a couplinglink, a cord, 9, connecting the pulley G and spring-bar, a pulley, G, over ICC which said cord 9 passes, a pull-cord, J, 0011- shoulders, said tongue and shoulders fitting in the socketed and rounded recessed portion of the fellow section, and serving to limit the lateral play of the link-section when the cars are rounding curves, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SILAS IWIOORMAN.

Witnesses:

J. J. RoBINsoN, O. A. HoDNETT. 

